Advanced ceramic materials are commonly utilized in systems located in hostile environments, such as, for example, automotive engines (e.g., catalytic converters), aerospace applications (e.g., space shuttle titles), refractory operations (e.g., firebrick) and electronics (e.g., capacitors, insulators). Porous ceramic bodies are of particular use as filters in these environments. For example, today's automotive industry uses ceramic honeycomb substrates (i.e., a porous ceramic body) to host catalytic oxidation and reduction of exhaust gases, and to filter particulate emissions. Ceramic honeycomb substrates provide high specific surface area for filtration and support for catalytic reactions and, at the same time, are stable and substantially structurally sound at high operating temperatures associated with an automotive engine environment.
In general, ceramic materials, such as for example, cordierite, are inert materials that perform well in high temperature environments. However, ceramic materials are not immune to thermal stresses, such as those stresses generated from cycling between ambient temperature and high temperature applications. Thus, ceramic filters are known to degrade making them inefficient and ineffective for today's applications.